Not Even Death
by beexfeatheryduster
Summary: Hermione looks back on her interactions with Severus. Rated M for language at the start


**Authors note: Just a little something I thought I'd write, I hope you like it. Enjoy- Bee x**

Hermione Granger had been through many tough times throughout her reasonably short life. Working together with her best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley she had helped bring down the greatest threat to the Wizarding World since Grindlewald. Many of her allies and friends had died and she had been left with permanent scars, physical and mental. Healing had been a long process for Hermione but she had eventually found it, all thanks to Severus Tobias Snape. Merely thinking of him caused a sad smile to show on Hermione's face. Her eyes welled up with tears and she clutched the letter in her hand close to her heart.

Severus had sent her many letters throughout their friendship, which had somehow evolved into a courtship. Hermione had cherished these letters and could never bring herself to part with them even though their had been several attempts of others trying to take them from her, mainly Harry and Ron. They had never understood Hermione's feelings for Severus and Hermione though they never could. It was rather cruel of her to say but she didn't think either of them had the capacity to understand or love another as much as Hermione had, did, Severus.

He had saved her and helped heal her when she was in a dark, terrible place. It was rather cliché in a way, like some romantic love story. She had been in so much pain, feeling as though her heart were tearing into pieces. She was racked with guilt and barely able to function. In desperation to stop feeling Hermione had turned to alcohol, somehow finding solace in a bottle of firewhisky. They had met each other at a bar, her staggering in, barely able to support her own weight, dressed up in an outfit that left very little to the imagination. She could remember the night so clearly, as if it had happened only days before, rather than decades.

_It had been a Saturday night and Hermione had decided that she'd needed to get out rather than sit holed up in her apartment drinking herself practically to death. Her liver had probably been crying out in constant pain all the time so she thought she'd try give it the night off. Of course, the most likely event would have been that she'd give it about two hours tops before beginning to poison herself with alcohol again. It had happened. She hadn't had a night out on the town in so long and thought that she'd have to glam up for it. If she looked good enough she'd hoped she might even be able to pull someone other than an international quidditch star and a rather dense boy with the emotional range of a teaspoon. She meant no offence to Viktor or Ron, she loved them both in some way, just not enough to want to screw either of them again. So it came to pass that Hermione Granger, the dubbed brightest witch of her age, was trussed up like some common whore, prowling the streets of London. In one-way Hermione had been no better than the common whore. She really was the town bike. Anyone fancied a good, solid fuck all they had to do was give her a bottle of booze and she'd very willingly spread her legs._

_She'd been out for less than half an hour when she decided to head into a pub. She'd sat there, chucking down the shots of vodka like there was no tomorrow. At one point if Hermione had had her way there would have been no tomorrow for her. Unfortunately Ginny Weasley had intervened and thankfully the girl had kept her peace about it. If she hadn't Hermione wouldn't have been enjoying the lovely freedom she had now, she'd probably be playing a game of pinball against the padded walls in a lunatic asylum and she'd be the pinball, complete with jumpsuit and crash helmet. Instead she was staggering along cobbled stones, oblivious as to which area of London she was in, giggling to herself. She saw a bar and immediately zeroed in, changing her direction and heading towards it. She'd pushed open the door and practically fell in. She'd wobbled over to the bar in her red stilletto's and leaned on the wood for support, requesting a triple shot of whiskey. The man behind the bar had looked at her questioningly before fully complying and giving her the triple shot. Hermione turned and toasted to the room before downing the triple shots. She turned around again and requested another. Before the bar man could answer however a hand closed round and her wrist. She looked at the hand then lifted her gaze to the arm, the torso and then eventually the face of the man holding onto her. She had gasped and then giggled girlishly as she locked eyes with none other than her old Potions Professor Severus Snape_

_"Hullo thar profezzor" Hermione slurred, flashing what she thought was a winning smile at him. He leaned forward until he was close enough that she could smell sandlewood oil, obviously left over from his potions brewing._

_"What are you doing Miss Granger?" He hissed, low enough that no one else could hear_

_"Drinkin to oblivion obiously" Hermione replied, her voice quiet as well, as she too leaned in closer to him, inhaling that sandlewood smell. She'd always liked it_

After that, Sandlewood had became Hermione's favourite essential oil, replacing vanilla and rose. After that and a firm reprimand Severus had dragged her out of the bar and after finding out where Hermione's apartment was had apparated her there. As soon as she touched the bed she was gone to the world. Severus had later confessed to purging her apartment of all the alcohol. He had gone further though. He had obviously been watching her for there was no other way to explain how he appeared at every drinking establishment she went to and stopped her when she was heading towards drunkenness like a runaway train. This continued for months and months until Hermione had curbed her habit and learnt how to drink sensibly. After that, Severus had never appeared again and part of her had lamented at his loss. Then she had received a letter from him and they had begun to correspond.

Hermione sighed and took the letter away from her bosom, looking down at it. She pressed it down onto the carpet and smoothed out the wrinkles on the paper as best as she could. It was the first love letter he had ever sent her, and it was the one she cherished the most.

_Hermione,_

_I am sure you have heard this from many men before but you truly are beautiful. I have never seen a more gorgeous creature walk this earth. Your hair shines in the sunlight becoming cold, as soft as silk. Your skin is as smooth and soft as satin. Your lips are like the petals of a rose. Your eyes are honey, sweet nectar, and are hooks for the soul. You can hold any mans heart in your delicate hands and indeed you hold mine. I loved once before, or so I thought. Never though, have I ever felt such a depth of feeling for anyone than I do for you now. You are almost too good to be true. Your laugh bubbles up out of you like a clear stream glittering in the sunshine and makes me smile. Your mind is so fertile and imagination to rival the greatest who have ever lived. You intellect astounds me and leaves me in awe. You have the purest heart that I have ever encountered before and a soul so kind it could bring tears of joy to my eyes. You are an angel and I only wish that you could be mine. Alas. I am not fortunate enough, nor am I worthy of such a wonderful, charming and elegant woman as you. Hermione Jean Granger is perfection, even with her flaws (bossiness being one) and I wish you only the greatest of happiness. You have changed my life Hermione, my darling one; you have saved me from the darkness of my own self. My soul was shattered, beyond repair and yet you have done the impossible, you have repaired me and saved me. Know that I love you so much that my heart aches with the sheer force of it. Know that I will always love you and if you would have me, will stay with you to protect always or remove myself from your life permanently_

_Your willing and obedient servant_

_Severus Tobias Snape_

Hermione watched as a tear fell onto the parchment, beginning to dissolve the ink that had written 'Severus' She had felt such great joy at the letter and immediately responded in kind, confessing her own love for him. He had claimed that she had saved him from himself but Hermione viewed it the other way round. It was safe to say that if Hermione had never met him she would have died before she reached her twenty first birthday and would never have known happiness again and the exhilaration of love.

It had not taken long after this declaration of love between Severus and Hermione that they began to see each other frequently. Hermione had moved in with Severus and shortly after that he had proposed to her. It would have been one of her most cherished memories if their wedding had not eclipsed it all.

_"Do you, Severus Tobias Snape, take Hermione Jean Granger as your wife? For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" The priest asked Severus. Severus let go of Hermione's hand and gently stroked her cheek, whispering 'I do' and smiling the happiest smile she had ever seen in her life. She returned the smile and leaned into his hand stroking her cheek before briefly flicking her gaze to the priest. Severus kept his hand on her cheek as the priest spoke again_

_"Do you, Hermione Jean Granger, take Severus Tobias Snape as your husband? For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" The priest asked again. Hermione felt a few years escaping from her eyes as she nodded and murmured 'I do' Severus wiped the tears away with his thumb and took a step closer to her, pulling her to him_

_"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride" Severus wrapped his arms around Hermione, squeezing gently before pressing his lips against her own in a chaste yet heart stopping kiss. He pulled back and, smiling again, reached his hand up to stroke a few of Hermione's errant curls_

_Till death do you part_ It was death which had finally parted them, and Hermione could not bear to be without Severus. He had been her life and her love, her soul. Without him, she was nothing. Throughout all he had supported, loved, cherished and adored her. He had teased her and challenged her on so many occasions. He had given her so much love and happiness and she had returned in kind, unable to think of a life without him. Yet now, she was facing one, and Hermione could not bear it.

The love letter lay on the floor and Hermione threw herself down onto the floor beside it, hands gripping her hair and sobs wrenching themselves free from her. She screamed and wailed, barely able to breath as she choked on her own cry's. The grief and anguish, it was unbearable. A life without Severus, it was one she could not live. If there was any mercy in the world, she wouldn't have to. Yet how could there be? For Severus had been taken before her and she would probably live for many more years to come without him. It was a thought Hermione could not suffer and her wails reached fever pitch as she tore out a clump of her hair and writhed on the ground. The pain it was unbearable, a burning in her chest, a burning in her heart, spreading to her arm. Soon, it felt as though her entire body was being covered in fire. She screamed her pain again, tears still flowing free and fast before eventually falling still, her breathing becoming ragged and shallower as blackness claimed her

_Yesterday, Hermione Jean Granger Snape was found dead in her home. Authorities suspect no foul play, stating that her heart gave out. Mrs Snape's husband, Severus Tobias aged 93, died only a few weeks ago; is it possible that Mrs Snape died of a broken heart? At the age of only fifty five Mrs Snape leaves behind two daughters, a son and a granddaughter. Mrs Snape is to join her husband in the crypt erected by their children. It is rumoured that Mr Snape's coffin was enlarged so that there was room for Mrs Snape to join him in the event of their death. With charms to preserve dead bodies and halt natural decay and rot it is a possibility._

_The boy who lived Harry Potter, curse breaker Ronald Weasley and International quidditich legend Viktor Krum have created a statue showing Mr and Mrs Snape on there wedding day and placed it by the statue of Albus Dumbledore on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where together they ruled the school. As joint Headmaster and Headmistress is it possible that the Snape children will be able to see their parents together in the Headmasters Office at Hogwarts?_

_Either way this reporter feels that Mr and Mrs Snape will always be remembered not only for their contributions to saving the wizarding world and for helping wizarding society to grow, but also for their astonishing and astounding love with a strength to rival that of the mythical Romeo and Juliet. Mr and Mrs Snape, Blessed Be_

Here lieath Severus Tobias Snape and his Wife, Hermione Jean Granger Snape, lovers and friends till their last breath. Not even death can overcome a love so strong


End file.
